


His Position on the Team

by whatlighttasteslike (waitingforeleven)



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 4x15 speculation, Angst, Character Death, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 02:08:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9857126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waitingforeleven/pseuds/whatlighttasteslike
Summary: As FitzSimmons attempt to control the base to escape on the Zephyr, a team member steps in to assist at a grave cost.*speculation for the events of 4x15*





	

**Author's Note:**

> **Trigger Warning:** major character death and a small scene of violence/gore (It’s pretty tame bc I can’t handle gore myself. And don’t worry; it’s neither of our science babies that takes the fall.)

Fitz struggled with the wiring of the control panel as Jemma stood guard close by at the doorframe. Through his brilliance and Jemma’s constant encouragement, he managed to gain control of the LMDs of his friends by figuring out how to rewire their programming remotely, directing them to retreat from the fighting and lay low until further instruction. He couldn’t shut them down completely, but it was a start. But the Russian’s men were still infiltrating the base, and no one could locate AIDA or Dr. Radcliffe, so this sent worries through the entire team. The plan to destroy the inhuman population was so much larger than they thought, and it was only just the beginning.

“If I can just get the system back under our control, we can power the Zephyr so we can get out of here.”

“Do you need any help?”

“No, just keep watch. I’ve almost got it.”

She turned her head slightly to check on his progress when she saw his eyes widen as he looked past her.

“Jemma, move!”

Before she could manage to turn around on her spot, being a nearly open target for one of the Russian’s operatives aiming his gun at her head, a towering figure moved in front of her, blocking her body entirely. The shot rang out, and Jemma flinched, but she didn’t feel any pain. Clutching her hand to stomach, not from a gunshot wound, but from the shock of nearly receiving one, she turned around to see the figure falling to his knees, blood streaming down his back from the exit wound of the bullet. Fitz swiftly retaliated, taking his own shot and hitting the operative squarely in the chest, and watched as he sunk to the ground unconscious.

It took Jemma a few seconds to recover from her shock, but once her head cleared, she realized the identity of the person that just saved her life. Her  _blocker_.

“Mace!”

Jemma hurried to his side and assisted him to the ground on his back. Mace gasped, struggling to catch his breath as the bullet wound was already soaking his shirt through with blood.

“Fitz! Help me, please,” Jemma called out desperately, pressing her hand to the wound in an attempt to control the bleeding. Fitz was already racing over, pulling off his jacket in the process.

“Here, use this, but let me.” He replaced her hands with his, bunching the jacket together to assist in his efforts.

“Keep the pressure there,” she instructed. As Fitz pressed the fabric firmly into Mace’s chest, Jemma placed her hand gently on the man’s forehead. “It’s okay. Try to breathe.”

“How’d I do?” he managed through a choked breath.

“Are you kidding? You  _saved_  us,” she said through a weak smile.

He let out a pained chuckle. “I told you I was the blocker.”

Jemma looked up to meet Fitz’s eyes, her own already misting over. As much as she wanted to sound encouraging, her gut told her that it was too late. They didn’t have access to the med bay or additional medical assistance, and from the look in Fitz’s eye, she knew he was thinking the same thing.

Suddenly, Mace’s breaths became less frequent as his eyes began to flutter. Jemma moved her hand to his shoulder, squeezing it urgently. “Mace, stay with us.”

Fitz increased the pressure on the wound, but saw no response. “Mace.”

But they were right in thinking it was too late. At once, the man released a shuddering breath and became still, his eyes slightly open, unfocused and without light. Jemma slowly moved her hand from the man’s shoulder and brought it up to her mouth to stifle a sob. 

This wasn’t an unfamiliar scene for them, losing a team member they cared about, but the fact that this man, this  _brave_  and  _loyal_  man, lost his life to save the two of them, it made it all the more painful.

A few moments passed, Fitz closing the man’s eyes and moving to wrap his arm around Jemma’s shoulder as she wept silently, until the sound of footsteps brought their attention to the doorway. Their team members, their  _real_  team members, entered the control room. Coulson supported May on his arm, both of them clearly shaken from the day’s events, and Daisy and Mack looked equally exhausted, but they were all alive.

And they were lucky.

Because not all of them were that lucky.

Daisy was the first to step forward. “Is he…?”

A beat passed as Jemma moved her hand through Mace’s hair, fresh tears streaming down her face. She shook her head, more in disbelief than in an answer to Daisy’s question.

Fitz looked up to meet Daisy’s eyes. “He’s gone,” he whispered.

Daisy’s eyes traveled between the two of them, clearing feeling the weight of the sudden loss.    

“How did you escape?” Fitz asked.

“May.” Coulson answered. “She beat the framework. Honestly? We owe her everything.” He looked to the companion at his side, a grateful expression on his face. 

As their eyes continued to linger on Mace’s body, they suddenly noticed a familiar towering figure approaching in the doorway. Jemma’s breath caught in her throat at the eerie sight. They didn’t know the status of the LMDs at the moment, but they figured they would find their way to the team eventually. Unfortunately, this particular LMD’s timing was painfully impeccable. 

Jemma watched, still nearly in shock, as the LMD sank to his knees to take in the sight before him. Somehow, this image was even more haunting. Because no programming could capture this feeling, the feeling of seeing the very person he was modeled after, lying lifeless on the ground. He was not human, but he knew when something was wrong, when something was  _devastatingly_  wrong. And there was nothing he could do to fix it.

Jemma felt a hand brush her shoulder and looked up to see Fitz encouraging her to rise. There was nothing they could do now, and they still weren’t safe, so they needed to move. She nodded weakly and stood shakily, reaching for Fitz to maintain her balance.

Coulson moved forward to address his team. “We have to get to the Zephyr.”

“But what do we do with…” Daisy asked as her voice trailed off.

“He comes with us.” Everyone turned to see Fitz looking from the LMD to Mace’s body on the ground. “We don’t have time to find the others.”

Coulson nodded his head. “Let’s move,” he said as he turned to lead his team to the Zephyr.

\-----

The team sat in silence as they processed the last few minutes. They were going rogue now, unable to contact any other SHIELD agents for fear of revealing their location. It was a miracle they even got in the air in the first place. 

Surprisingly, the LMD sitting on its own in the corner was the first to break the silence. 

“I don’t really know what’s going to happen from here, but there’s one thing I understand. I know his thoughts, his complete history. But I’ll never  _be_  him. So, I believe the best course of action is for me to shut down. Completely.” He paused, noticing Fitz looking down into his lap upon hearing the words. “It’s for the best.”

No one responded, knowing he was right but not wanting to admit it. Suddenly, Fitz rose from his seat to move to another part of the plane. Jemma waited a few seconds before following swiftly behind him. 

She found him in one of the Zephyr’s small labs, pacing back and forth behind the lab table, his hand placed against his forehead. She kept her distance, not wanting to startle him, so she leaned against the doorframe. “I’m sorry, Fitz.”

“For what?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t want you blaming yourself for this.”

He paused to look down at his feet and took a deep breath. “I’m not. I did what I could. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to save everyone.”

She moved forward into the lab and took his hands in hers. Despite the events of the day, and the loss they just suffered, he appeared surprising calm. Maybe he was just used to it by now, the never-ending cycle of tragedy their team continued to experience in the field. So instead of looking upset, he just looked  _exhausted._

“I have to be the one to do it,” he said. “Turn him off. I got us into this mess.”

She could only nod, and then moved forward to wrap her arms around his waist in a tight embrace. “It’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.”

“I know.”

They returned to the team to find them still sitting in silence. At the sight of FitzSimmons, the team members rose from their seats, having already said their goodbyes and clearly ready for the next step ahead, and filed out of the room. 

“We’ll leave you alone,” Daisy said as she placed a gentle hand on Fitz’s shoulder. 

Once it was just the two of them and the LMD, Fitz walked hesitantly forward, Jemma keeping her distance. He looked into its eyes, and as much as he tried to focus on the fact that this was an android, all he could see was the man that saved the love of his life from a painful death. The control tablet was sitting on the table in the center of the room, but he didn’t pick it up. Not yet. 

Fitz swallowed the lump in his throat. “I know you’re not really him, but it feels like it, so let me say this. You were an important member of this team. We owe you our lives, all of us. And that’s why this hurts so much.” He paused, noticing the LMD’s slight change in expression. Even if it was all programming and mimicry, it was still too real, and in this moment, he conveyed a look of understanding, acceptance. Because ht knew that this was the right thing to do.

Fitz stepped closer to continue. “I need you to know that you saved a lot of lives today, one in _particular_...that means the world to me, so I’m forever grateful for that.”

At that, he took a deep breath and picked up the tablet. Slowly, he brought his finger down to tap the button. In an instant, the LMD dropped its head mechanically to its chest. 

Fitz turned his head to see Jemma standing in the doorframe, watching carefully. She met his eyes and nodded sympathetically. 

“It’s done.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr at [whatlighttasteslike](http://whatlighttasteslike.tumblr.com)! I would love to discuss anything fic related, so feel free to message/ask me anytime! <3


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